


Delicacy

by Celandine



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-23
Updated: 2009-08-23
Packaged: 2017-10-12 08:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/122923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celandine/pseuds/Celandine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A chance remark gives Leonard an idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Delicacy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Inell](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Inell).



Somehow the conversation that night had turned to birthdays, specifically childhood birthdays and how everyone had celebrated them.

Leonard had been taken to baseball games; not always on his birthday itself, but within a week either way.

Spock disclaimed ever having done anything in particular to celebrate, although he admitted that his mother had always had a gift for him.

Scotty had eaten haggis as a special treat; when he explained to the uninformed what it was – a mixture of oatmeal and entrails and spices cooked in the animal's stomach – there were universal groans, and Jim pretended to vomit, a sign of how comfortable he now was with his trusted officers, Leonard thought.

"Well, what did _you_ eat?" asked Nyota, whose childhood tradition had been choosing a special activity for her whole family to do together.

There was a bitter twist to Jim's smile when he answered. "Oh, when I was _very_ young I always had cake and strawberry ice cream."

Leonard didn't ask why that custom had ended; he guessed it had to do with Kirk's bastard of a stepfather. He smiled with everyone else when Pavel sang the song his mother had always sung for him on his birthday, his voice cracking as he reached for the higher notes.

Hikaru said that he hadn't really had any traditions, but that his birthday was the day when he would be allowed more privileges and responsibilities in the family, such as taking out one of the fishing boats on his own.

Later that night, when they were alone, Leonard asked Jim casually, "Do you still like strawberry ice cream?"

"If it's real, yes. Not the artificially-flavored stuff." Jim wrinkled his nose. "The Riverside Dairy used to make it, and it was wonderful. I haven't had strawberry ice cream in I don't know how long."

Leonard didn't make anything more of it just then, but the next day he found time to go to the galley and talk to the _Enterprise_ 's cook. Fresh strawberries were unavailable, naturally, but the storage freezers held some bags of chopped berries, and the cook was confident he could manage a treat for the captain.

It took some careful timing, and the assistance of Scotty, who was delighted to play co-conspirator, but when Jim arrived at Leonard's quarters the following night, Leonard was waiting, wearing nothing but a couple of strategically located spoonfuls of strawberry ice cream and a smile.

Jim was delighted to eat up what was on offer, and later they shared the rest of the delicacy, waiting for them in an insulated container.

**Author's Note:**

> For inell, who wanted Kirk/McCoy, ice cream.


End file.
